Massachusetts Route 131
Encyclopedia
Route 131 is a state highway in the U.S. states of Massachusetts
and Connecticut
. It serves the southwestern portion of the Worcester
metropolitan area. It begins at Route 12 in the North Grosvenor Dale
section of the town of Thompson
in Connecticut and ends at U.S. Route 20 in the center of Sturbridge
in Massachusetts.
in Sturbridge
, just west of where that route meets I-84
, and just south of I-84's junction with the Mass Pike
. After crossing under I-84, Route 131 meets the former northern end of Route 15, which was a continuation of Connecticut Route 15. Route 131 continues southeastward into Southbridge
, where it crosses the Quinebaug River
. In downtown Southbridge, Route 131 meets the northern end of Route 198
before becoming concurrent with Route 169 for half a mile, south of the Southbridge Industrial Park and the old American Optical Company
plant.
After leaving its concurrency with Route 169, Route 131 makes a quick right and left turn as it crosses the Quinebaug once more, before heading into the town of Dudley
. The route heads southeastward through the West Dudley section of town, crossing the Quinebaug once more before crossing the Connecticut
state line in to the Quinebaug section of Thompson
. Once in Quinebaug, Route 131 intersects Route 197
before continuing towards North Grosvenordale, passing Walker Road, which continues into Massachusetts as Massachusetts Route 31. Route 131 continues southeastward until finally ending at Route 12 next to the French River
.
state line in West Glocester to the Massachusetts line in Quinebaug. The toll road was established as part of a direct route from Providence
to Springfield
. At the Rhode Island line, the road continued east as the West Glocester Turnpike (modern Route 44). At the Massachusetts line, the road did not continue as a turnpike and the route to Springfield was over public roads. The Thompson Turnpike used Elmwood Hill Road, Quaddick Road, Thompson Hill Road, Buckley Hill Road, and Quinebaug Road. It went through the village of Quaddick, Thompson center, North Grosvenor Dale, and Quinebaug.
In 1923, the southern New England states began numbering their main highways, most of which had, by the time, been under state control. Massachusetts had numbered the continuation of the Thompson Turnpike as Highway 131 but the designation did not continue into Connecticut at that time. In Connecticut, the middle portion of the former Thompson Turnpike, between Thompson center and North Grosvenor Dale, had become part of Highway 185. The southern and northern sections remained unnumbered. In the 1932 state highway renumbering
, the southern portion and part of the middle portion (Thompson Hill Road) became a section of Route 200. The northern portion was designated as SR 874, an unsigned state road. At the same time, a Route 131 was also created in Roxbury
. This Route 131 was then renumbered in 1935 to Route 199 and the number 131 was then assigned to SR 874 (Quinebaug Road) to match the existing route number in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It serves the southwestern portion of the Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
metropolitan area. It begins at Route 12 in the North Grosvenor Dale
North Grosvenor Dale
North Grosvenor Dale is a village and census-designated place in the town of Thompson in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,424 at the 2000 census. The core of the village is listed as the North Grosvenordale Mill Historic District on the National Register of Historic...
section of the town of Thompson
Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...
in Connecticut and ends at U.S. Route 20 in the center of Sturbridge
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census...
in Massachusetts.
Route description
Route 131 begins at U.S. Route 20U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts
The cross-country U.S. Route 20 runs its easternmost in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The highway crosses the state border from New Lebanon, New York into Hancock, Massachusetts, and runs eastward into Boston, where it ends at Route 2 in Kenmore Square...
in Sturbridge
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census...
, just west of where that route meets I-84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
, and just south of I-84's junction with the Mass Pike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
. After crossing under I-84, Route 131 meets the former northern end of Route 15, which was a continuation of Connecticut Route 15. Route 131 continues southeastward into Southbridge
Southbridge, Massachusetts
The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, where it crosses the Quinebaug River
Quinebaug River
The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
. In downtown Southbridge, Route 131 meets the northern end of Route 198
Massachusetts Route 198
-Route description:The highway is a continuation of Connecticut Route 198 located entirely in the city of Southbridge. The highway ends at Route 131 in downtown Southbridge....
before becoming concurrent with Route 169 for half a mile, south of the Southbridge Industrial Park and the old American Optical Company
Twinehurst American Optical Company Neighborhood
Twinehurst American Optical Company Neighborhood is a historic district on Winchurst Street in Southbridge, Massachusetts.It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989....
plant.
After leaving its concurrency with Route 169, Route 131 makes a quick right and left turn as it crosses the Quinebaug once more, before heading into the town of Dudley
Dudley, Massachusetts
Dudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732...
. The route heads southeastward through the West Dudley section of town, crossing the Quinebaug once more before crossing the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
state line in to the Quinebaug section of Thompson
Thompson, Connecticut
Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...
. Once in Quinebaug, Route 131 intersects Route 197
Connecticut Route 197
Route 197 is a state highway in northeastern Connecticut, running from Union to the Massachusetts state line in Thompson.-Route description:Route 197 begins as Lawson Road at an intersection with Route 171 in southeastern Union. It heads east towards Woodstock, entering the town after and becoming...
before continuing towards North Grosvenordale, passing Walker Road, which continues into Massachusetts as Massachusetts Route 31. Route 131 continues southeastward until finally ending at Route 12 next to the French River
French River (Massachusetts)
The French River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut.The river rises near Leicester, Massachusetts, and flows generally southwards through Auburn, Oxford, and Dudley; it then enters Connecticut where it joins the Quinebaug River at Thompson, just northeast of Putnam...
.
History
In October 1803, the Thompson Turnpike company was chartered to improve and maintain the highway between the Rhode IslandRhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
state line in West Glocester to the Massachusetts line in Quinebaug. The toll road was established as part of a direct route from Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
to Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. At the Rhode Island line, the road continued east as the West Glocester Turnpike (modern Route 44). At the Massachusetts line, the road did not continue as a turnpike and the route to Springfield was over public roads. The Thompson Turnpike used Elmwood Hill Road, Quaddick Road, Thompson Hill Road, Buckley Hill Road, and Quinebaug Road. It went through the village of Quaddick, Thompson center, North Grosvenor Dale, and Quinebaug.
In 1923, the southern New England states began numbering their main highways, most of which had, by the time, been under state control. Massachusetts had numbered the continuation of the Thompson Turnpike as Highway 131 but the designation did not continue into Connecticut at that time. In Connecticut, the middle portion of the former Thompson Turnpike, between Thompson center and North Grosvenor Dale, had become part of Highway 185. The southern and northern sections remained unnumbered. In the 1932 state highway renumbering
1932 state highway renumbering (Connecticut)
In 1932, the Highway Department of the U.S. state of Connecticut , decided to completely renumber all its state highways. The only exceptions were the U.S. Highways and some of the New England Interstate Routes. Between 1922 and 1932, Connecticut used a state highway numbering system shared with...
, the southern portion and part of the middle portion (Thompson Hill Road) became a section of Route 200. The northern portion was designated as SR 874, an unsigned state road. At the same time, a Route 131 was also created in Roxbury
Roxbury, Connecticut
Roxbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,136 at the 2000 census.-History:Roxbury, whose Indian name was "Shepaug", a Mahican name signifiying "rocky water", was settled about the year 1713...
. This Route 131 was then renumbered in 1935 to Route 199 and the number 131 was then assigned to SR 874 (Quinebaug Road) to match the existing route number in Massachusetts.
Junction list
(Note: Numbers in parentheses indicate total route length.)| County | Location | Mile | Roads intersected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Worcester County, Massachusetts -Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density... |
Sturbridge Sturbridge, Massachusetts Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census... |
0.00 | Western end of Route 131. | |
| 0.5 | Old Route 15 South | Northern end of former Massachusetts Route 15. | ||
| Southbridge Southbridge, Massachusetts The Town of Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,719 at the 2010 census.-History:... |
4.0 | Northern end of Route 198. | ||
| 4.5 | Western end of concurrency with Route 169. | |||
| 5.0 | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 169. | |||
| Dudley Dudley, Massachusetts Dudley is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Dudley was first settled in 1714 and was officially incorporated in 1732... |
9.77 |  Connecticut Route 131 |
Eastern end of Massachusetts Route 131. | |
 becomes |
||||
| Windham Windham County, Connecticut Windham County is a county located in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2010, the population was 118,428.The entire county is within the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, as designated by the National Park Service.-History:Windham... |
Thompson Thompson, Connecticut Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census... |
0.00 (9.77) |
Massachusetts Route 131 |
Western end of Connecticut Route 131. |
| 0.2 (10.0) |
||||
| 0.6 (10.4) |
To Massachusetts Route 31 via Walker Road. | |||
| 3.78 (10.55) |
Eastern end of Connecticut Route 131. | |||
External links
- Kelley, Neil. Massachusetts Route Log, MA 131.